Best all-around Guitar Distortion pedal?

[EmmSee]

I'm looking for recommendations for a nice all-around distortion pedal for electric guitar ... for studio use.

Thanks --

[morf]

I have a BOSS MT-2 metal zone distortion pedal that works very well - i dont know if its the best though.

[Trevorus]

Rocktron silver dragon. I love it, and it has a tube.

[WalterBush]

The ProCo Rat. Mine's lasted me years, and plenty of players still use 'em live and in the studio.

[EmmSee]

Thanks for your recommendations everyone ... I'll have to check them all out.

Also, this will be strictly for studio use.

[Michael Jewels]

Also check out either an Ibanez Tube screamer www.analogman.com/tshist.htm
or, a Boss OD-3 overdrive. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...dal?sku=151389

I don't own either, but have heard both.

I plan on getting a Boss OD-3.

Mike

[DougP]

SansAmp GT-2. very versatile and sounds great.

[Michael Jewels]

EmmSee, another site you might want to look through is Robert Keeley's site. www.robertkeeley.com

He makes his own stuff, but is also known for taking existing pedals such as the Boss Blues Driver and modding it to make it an even better pedal. From my travels to a few guitar sites, I've noticed that his products seem to have a good reputation.

Here's the Blues Driver link www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=14

I have never heard one of his pedals live myself.

Mike

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by EmmSee

I'm looking for recommendations for a nice all-around distortion pedal for electric guitar ... for studio use.

Thanks --

Distortions come in all sorts of different flavors, so generally it's impossible to recommend an all-rounder unless you want to consider analog or digital modeling pedals. The Tech 21 GT-2 is one. I have a Boss OD-20, and it does pretty convincing sims of the popular choices like the tubescreamer, MT-2, OD-3, Pi, etc.; you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference blindfolded.

There are other modeling products from Line 6 and Digitech in the same category.

[Don W]

Originally Posted by jabberwock777

The ProCo Rat. Mine's lasted me years, and plenty of players still use 'em live and in the studio.

HUGE +1

I tried a bunch of different distortions when I first stated playing guitar, but since I got my Rat back in 97, I've never even looked for a different distortion pedal.

[superbassman2000]

i would say either the Rat or Tubescreamer

[anonymous278347457]

My friend has a digitech grundge pedal, it seems reasonable, and you can get them real cheap aswell

[jive1]

For Balls-to-the-wall distortion, it's the Boss Metal Zone. It'll turn your 10W practice amp into a fire breathing monster.

For a nice bluesy overdrive with the ability to get a little crunch, it's the Ibanez Tube screamer.

For a gritty,grindy, nasty fuzz it's the RAT

But if you want something that will do alot, and sound good, it's the Sansamp GT-2. For recording purposes, it's my favorite.

[Vic Winters]

For a cool OD, I really like the BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver. For something harder, Landmine LD-1.

[agreatheight]

Originally Posted by Michael Jewels

EmmSee, another site you might want to look through is Robert Keeley's site. www.robertkeeley.com

+1 million. My guitarist has the Keeley modded Boss Blues Driver and it is ridiculous. Best guitar distortion I have ever heard, hands down. So good I am going to get one myself (for guitar, I play as well).

As for other pedals, I also enjoy the Mesa V-Twin, Chandler Tube Driver and the EH English Muff'n. If you are looking on the cheap the Boss DS-1 is pretty great for $40. I also like a few of the POD tones, so you can look into the PODxt Live.

[steve21]

Originally Posted by jive1

For Balls-to-the-wall distortion, it's the Boss Metal Zone. It'll turn your 10W practice amp into a fire breathing monster.

For a nice bluesy overdrive with the ability to get a little crunch, it's the Ibanez Tube screamer.

For a gritty,grindy, nasty fuzz it's the RAT

But if you want something that will do alot, and sound good, it's the Sansamp GT-2. For recording purposes, it's my favorite.

I don't like the Metal Zone. I prefer the Mega Distortion for metal.

[The Golden Boy]

After searching for years and years, I've come to the conclusion that no pedal made will sound, feel and have the dynamic of a tube amp overdriving. I've tried tons of "boo-teek" pedals- as well as the standards. It ain't happenin' regardless of what you read from some cork sniffer on some website saying he just found his "plexi in a box" or whatever. See how long it is before he sells the pedal...

I have 4 OD/Distortion pedals, all of which I use only as a solo boost-y type thing or to augment the overdrive of my amp, never as the primary source of OD/Distortion.

In order of preference-

Barber Direct Drive
Boss SD-1
Boss DS-1
Ibanez TS-9DX.

I don't like that stock overdone TS-9 sound.

The Direct Drive is about as close as I've ever found to the most "real" sounding, responding and feeling OD pedal. It still doesn't really do it, but it's a great boost pedal.

[BassGod]

MXR Dime Distortion

MXR Doubleshot Distortion

Both sound great, though the Doubleshot is much more versatile, as it has two channels.

Graeme

[keb]

The SansAmp GT2 is awesome and though it makes a good distortion pedal going into an amp, in my opinion it really shines as a direct-recording amp simulator plugged straight into the board. That's really the primary intended role for that unit (like all SansAmp units.) I used to have one and I had great success with it. It's a fairly straightforward pedal with a few switches to tweak things, and it'll get you anything from clean Fenderish tones to heavy distortion and some nice in-between crunch.

[JacoLesFlea]

Boss DS-1 Old School but is an excellent effects pedal

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOSS-DS-1-Distor...QQcmdZViewItem